Last Friday I wrote that Christians need to be prepared “to be persecuted, to be an ‘object of amusement’ being destroyed ‘not for the public good but to gratify the cruelty of an individual’ — or a political party.” I gave you the examples of Garland’s DOJ spying on the Catholic Church and punishing a pro-life father for an incident at an abortion clinic for which he had already been cleared by local authorities.
Today I’ve got two more examples for you. The first is the case of two LGBTQ++ Washington Elementary School District (AZ) school board members who objected to student teachers provided by Arizona Christian University.
One of the board members took direct offense at the language about a “biblical lens.” Another complained about specific language describing the university’s mission as to “influence, engage, and transform the culture with truth by promoting the biblically informed values that are foundational to Western civilization.” A central complaint targeted the Christian school’s commitment to “traditional sexual morality and lifelong marriage between one man and one woman.”
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Board member Tamillia Valenzuela, who described herself as “a bilingual, disabled, neurodivergent Queer Black Latina,” responded: “At some point we need to get real with ourselves and take a look at who we are making legal contracts with and the message that that is sending to the community because that makes me feel like I could not be safe in this school district.” Further: “That makes queer kids who are already facing attack from our lawmakers feel that they could not be safe in this community.”
Board member Kyle Clayton agreed. “I just don’t believe that belongs in schools,” he said. “I would never want my son to talk about his two dads and be shamed by a teacher who believed a certain way and is at a school that demands that they teach through their biblical lens.”
Even though Washington Elementary School District had received student teachers from ACU for the past 11 years and none of the student teachers violated school policy, the board voted unanimously to reject the contract with the school. Note that their rejection of ACU was based solely on theological grounds — a clear violation of religious liberties.
As R. Albert Mohler Jr. goes on to write, “This blatantly unconstitutional action reveals where many people are determined the society must go. Biblical Christianity must be cut off from civilized society.”
The second example is from our cousins up north across the border, where a pastor was protesting a drag queen story hour for children. Note that it is illegal for any Canadian citizen to object to the sexualization of children in the form of drag shows. Watch what Tucker Carlson says about it.
That is one of the most chilling examples of how the tables have turned on Christians that I’ve seen. First, the pastor was literally — and violently — thrown out of a meeting where he was protesting the corruption of children. The people doing the throwing weren’t cops (that I could tell). Then the pastor was arrested for causing a disturbance, for which he will undoubtedly be prosecuted.
Finally, as Tucker asks, “Where are all the professional Christians” like Tim Keller, David French and Beth Moore? I’m not sure why he cites them, other than that they’re “Christian” celebrities. In Tucker’s mind, apparently, they defend Christianity, although I’d argue that at least one of them — David French — finds common cause with the Left more often than conservative Christianity.
In addition to asking where the celebrities are, I’d ask where the local pastors are in Canada? Are they all staying quiet? What about all the Christians in Canada? Are they all staying quiet? If so, why?
Likewise, what about in our own country? Right now, Arizona Christian University is taking the issue they’re facing to court, which is only right. We can hope for a constitutional outcome, but what if we don’t? What then?
As Carl Truman recently wrote, “The time for evangelical leaders and institutions to speak is now. The moment to use the platforms we have to protect women and children has come. If J.K. Rowling has the courage to stand for the truth and to call for the protection of children and women, then so should we. Silence in the face of this evil is culpable and, make no mistake, will be noted by future generations.”